Graceful, Graceless
by Xagrok
Summary: Jason returns to Camp Half-Blood during his mission of building shrines and is welcomed by Nico.
Jason laughed as he hugged Nico, who looked something between stunned, happy, and ready to thrust his sword into Jason. "It's been some time," the son of Jupiter laughed and embraced him tightly. "It's so nice to see you again, Nico. To see that you actually didn't leave camp."

Nico, with a flushed face, started to struggle against the bear hug. "I told you, the Hades Cabin needs redecorating. Of course I wouldn't leave until the work is complete, you fool."

Jason set the, in comparison, tiny son of Hades on the ground again and ruffled his black hair. "Of course you wouldn't. Hey, why don't we go and get something to eat?" At Nico's questioning gaze, he shrugged, still a bright smile on his face. "What? I feel hungry. Also, the others are probably not here yet. Even you wouldn't have noticed me if it weren't for Mrs. O'Leary."

"Fair point," Nico agreed and thus they went onward, making their way into camp.

* * *

Nico raised an eyebrow at Jason's choice of food after they had sacrificed to the gods. "What?" the blond defended himself. "I like eating healthy things. And salad is delicious if made right." Nico's eyebrow didn't go back down.

"In any case," the son of Hades sighed, "How have you been holding up? Are things progressing smoothly or have some gods or goddesses already tried to kill you?"

Jason snorted and set down his fork. "Of course there are some with whom I have to talk longer, and the planning and building take their time as well. Plus there's blessing the temples, finding the right spaces, organizing workers and materials, and so on. As much as I'd love to do it all by myself, I would collapse if I didn't ask for help, and we couldn't have that, after all. I'm the one and only who swore to build the temples and cabins, after all." Jason picked up his glass with pineapple and orange juice and took a sip.

Nico nodded along. "And what kind of favours does a god ask for?"

Jason nearly spit out his beverage and coughed, a light blush on his cheeks. "Yeah, originally, I'd thought the gods would be thankful and satisfied just with the buildings, but as you see, I have to ask first and do them a favour on top of it, and -" Jason stuttered, looking away slightly. "Let's say their requests are a bit strange sometimes. Did you know that massaging the abdominal area can help with reducing flatulences, and that ferrets like that in general?"

Nico furrowed his eyebrows. "Do I want to know?"

"You don't."

"If you say so." Nico swallowed some of the vegetables he had on his plate with a slightly disgusted face. At Jason's look, he just shrugged. "Doctor's orders. I can't exactly contradict Will that easily."

The rest of their dinner was filled with similar idle chatter, and when they rose from their seats, Nico beckoned Jason over. His cheeks took on a slightly darker colour, a barely noticeable, well-hidden smile on his face, as he motioned for Jason to lean down. "So, uh, I permitted some other people to look at my cabin, so I guess it doesn't matter too much if I showed it to you?" he mumbled. With a poker face, he added: "Only if you want to, of course. You probably have more important things to do anyway."

Jason beamed. "Of course, Nico! Let me just greet everyone else and catch up a bit with them, okay?"

Nico nodded. "I'll come with you. If we go to the arena, I can kick your butt for demonstration."

Jason tilted his head. "Demonstration?"

Nico sighed. "Will said I should be more social. Interact with people. Of course it's humbug, but I accepted and teach a bit of swordfighting to the younger campers. I was actually on my way there when Mrs. O'Leary started barking like crazy and tugged on my shirt for me to follow her."

Jason's grin had to hurt by now. "Nico, that's-"

"Save it, Grace," Nico cut him off. "You can thank me after class."

* * *

When Nico returned to his cabin, Jason was already awaiting him in front of it, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry, Nico. I got caught up longer than I thought I would."

Nico waved dismissively. He took the handle of the door into his hand and drew a deep breath. "If you laugh, I will make sure you'll regret it. Got it, Grace?"

Jason swallowed down the laugh that threatened to spill over his lips and corrected his glasses, making them reflect the light, leaving Nico unable to see his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Of course, Nico," He said, his face entirely serious except for his eyes.

After another deep breath, Nico ripped the door open and walked inside, closely followed by Jason, who gaped at the new interior. Torches with Greek Fire lighted the cabin, dip-painting the walls and ground of deep black obsidian, here and there speckled with gems that glittered, in a mysterious green. Contrary to his previous belief, Nico hadn't kept it dark, instead using the torches well, sometimes reinforcing them with glass so no fire would alight the entire cabin, let alone burn down the whole camp. The previous bunks, fashioned after coffins, were gone now, replaced by amazingly gorgeous beds with soft silk and stitched pillows on top. Jason's eyes never tired of the view, and he quickly closed his mouth after noticing it was hanging open. Also, Nico was watching him, so he had to form words. Words.

"So?" Nico inquired, his arms crossed.

"I- It's -" Jason stuttered. A slightly eerie grin spread on Nico's face as he motioned for Jason to come in and sit on a bed.

Jason's eyes moved around, discovering something new every time. Carvings on the walls, suble pictures and paintings - it left him breathless. "You did this all by yourself?" he aspirated and Nico nodded.

"It's not finished and still rather rough, but I'm making progress," he shrugged, seemingly disinterested. The air was squeezed out of his lungs when Jason enveloped him in another steel-crushing hug.

"Jason," he wheezes, "My bones! And I need air, you idiot!"

When was is released with an sheepish smile, Nico scratched the back of his head. "You still get overly excited. It's nice to know that, but you know, it can be a-" Nico paused, a devilish smile on his face, "jar-ring experience."

While Nico expected to see a laugh, Jason flinched as though he'd received another sword of Imperial Gold to his gut. Despite trying to cover it up, his reaction was rather obvious, as tiny as it was, and Nico sighed. "It's okay, Jason. Unless I'm thrown into one again, I think I'm okay with hugs. After all, it's not like you tried to kill me, so I don't blame you."

"Y-yeah," Jason said, looking away. He started slightly when he noticed Nico shifting closer towards him, worry on his face now.

"Hey, is everything okay? I told you, while the physical contact still isn't my thing, I won't hold a grudge against you for doing it. I invited you here being prepared for that, you know?"

Jason breathed in deeply and breathes out. Then, with a guarded expression, he looked at Nico again. "I think you deserve to know this, Nico. I'm not as nice a guy as you might think me to be."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Where did that suddenly come from? You usually don't talk about things like this."

Jason breathed in and out again, as though to prepare himself. "I know I don't talk about myself much, or about my feelings. However, there's something I feel like you deserve to know, because I trust you and because you're my friend."

Still suspicious, Nico shifted so he sat on the bed with his legs crossed, his hands on his knees. He waved his hand. "Go on."

"When you were inside of that jar back then, and we went to fetch you… Well, we didn't know each other well back then, did we?"

Nico nodded.

"I think we never even met. That's why I was suspicious of you, so when the others wanted to go and save you on the way to fight the Earth Mother -" Jason stops, but shakes his head, his eyes blazing, "I voted for leaving you behind in that jar."

Roaring silence fell on the two of them, with Nico having dropped his head, staring at his lap as though he wanted to plow through the earth with looks alone. His hair hid Jason from his eyes, so he couldn't see him, but Jason's movement still produced sounds.

"I'm still sorry about what I did back then, Nico. I should not have done that, and taken you into consideration. I only had the best in mind, which seemed to be to defeat the Earth Mother back then, and not save a suspicious child of Hades who knew of both camps but told nobody, involuntarily starting a war. I didn't know you until the palace of Diocletian, and-"

Nico held up his hand and raises his head. He studied Jason's face and then stood up.

"Nico-" Jason couldn't even finish at all as Nico marched outside. He tried to hold onto his arm, or even only slightly touch it, but Nico batted his hand away. When they stood outside again, Nico called on Jules-Albert.

"Please come get me?" he whispered, then shook his head. "Viens ici, s'il te plaît, Jules-Albert." Then, he started to run towards the borders of the camp.


End file.
